


Friends with Revengafits

by HappyLeech



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/M, Gen, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-04-19 12:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4746611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyLeech/pseuds/HappyLeech
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh wasn't the only one left feeling bitter about what happened to Beth and Hannah</p><hr/><p>Rewritten as of March 2018</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Act 1: Contact

_Memez4Dayz_ is now Online  
_VeganVorrior_ is now Online

 

 

> _Memez4Dayz:  
>  _ Sam! Long time no text
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  !!!!
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  Josh I haven’t heard from you in ages ;o; what’s up???
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  nm
> 
> _Memez4Dayz_ :  
>  finally escaped Ocean View and you know whtat that meanssssssss
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  Have you told the others?
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  anf that means a party right
> 
> _Memez4Days:_  
>  uh
> 
> _Memez4Days:_  
>  Well
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  ?
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  I didn’t actually
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  tell anyone else where I was
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  ur the only one who knows I was in the hospital
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  I told everyone else that my parents were going “electronics free” after
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  well. u know
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  …not even chris knows?
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  nope. Hes my best bro but
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  ur my ultimate galpal Sammy
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  Josh plz
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  Seriously though, Sam.
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  I feel like I can actually talk to you, u know?
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  about what happened…
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  Oh…
> 
> **VeganVorrior Hugs Memez4Dayz**
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  You knowo I’ll always be there for you, right Josh?
> 
> _Memez4Dayz_ :  
>  you;ll knOwO what’s this?
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  DIE
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  hehe
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  I am planning on having a party though.
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  well nt jsut a party
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  oh?
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  so. same day that beth and hannah…
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  u know.
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  :(
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  yeah.
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  I jsut…they all hurt my sisters with that suptid prank
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  *stupid
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  so I wanna get them back
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:_  
>  u pickin up what im putting down?
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  …what are tou thinking?
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  bc I don’t think that mikell be interesred in taking his shirt off for u
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  or me
> 
> _Memez4Dayz_ :  
>  nah. i have something scarier in mind
> 
> _Memez4Dayz:  
>  _ wanna hear?/
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  Hannah and beth weer my best friends
> 
> _VeganVorrior:_  
>  hit me
> 
>  

_Memez4Dayz_ is typing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does one format a computer/chat conversation on AO3? Because I sure as hell don't know
> 
> * * *
> 
> I finished another replay of Until Dawn and have been hit with the urge to rewrite this fic and, hopefully, post a few new chapters as well.
> 
> * * *
> 
> * Memez4Dayz is Josh because...well... Bone Zone. He's a memer  
> * VeganVorrior is Sam because fuck it I thought of the name as a joke and it stuck in my head. And who says that Sam isn't a meme as well? (My sister suggested 'Avacado Samwich', and in the first version it was 'Space Clammed (Sam)' because I don't know why)


	2. Act 2: Planning

Okay, so Sam was nervous. 

She couldn’t help it- she was seeing Josh for the first time in _AGES_ , and sure, maybe it was more makeup than what she wore normally when she was lounging at home, but no one knew that.

For all Josh knew, maybe she worse a full plaster of the stuff.

After fiddling with her hair for the ninth time, Sam finally gave up, and sat on her couch, checking and rechecking her phone. 

_‘Okay Josh, you said you were 15 minutes away half an hour ago. You better not have gotten your ass mugged, buddy,’_ she thought to herself, bouncing her leg. 

But it was only another 5 minutes she waited, when her buzzer went off, and she jumped up to unlock the doors from him.

“Hey! It’s great to see you Josh. Uh, come in, sit down!” Sam moved out of the way as Josh walked in, looking over her apartment with an apprising eye. “I know, it’s nothing like the chalet down south, but it keeps my ass warm in the winter.”

“And we all know that keeping those buns toasty are the only thing in life that matters. It’d be a shame if they got frostbite,” he replied, dropping his bags just inside the door, before gathering her up in a big hug. “Man…I’ve missed you, Sammy.”

“Yeah…you too.” She sighed, hugging back, taking in that Josh Washington was back in Canada, and in her goddamn apartment.

And they were going to be getting up to some mischief.

After a couple of minutes, they pulled away, only for Sam to pull him into another quick hug.

“Sorry, sorry- I’m just really happy to see you. It’s been way too long, yeah?”

He shot her a grin, and all her nerves faded away. It was Josh- no need to be a bundle of crazy.

“Way too long. So- give me a walk-through of Casa Samantha.”

“Well-“ Sam gestured around them and she shut the door. “-this is the living room-slash-guest bedroom. Over there we have the kitchen, and that closet there contains the laundry room. Over this way we have the master suite- very spacious. As you can tell, I managed to fit a bookshelf _and_ a bed into the room. And then the master bath, complete with hot water.”

“Ooo, hot water. You are truly living in the lap of luxury.” He jabbed at her with his elbow, and she smacked his arm.

“I know, right? And the wi-fi password is on the fridge, before you ask.”

He grinned again. “You know how to make a guy feel right at home, yeah? And is there anything in the fridge, for a strapping young American like myself?”

“I dunno- why don’t you open it yourself and check, lazy bones.” Sam snorted, before heading back to the couch. Were they going to get right into the matter at hand, or were they going to hang out first? Sit around and gossip like a bunch of old ladies while Josh bitched about Canadian Netflix?

“Gasp!” 

Well, he’d opened the fridge. Sam grinned to herself.

“Did you really buy me a cake? Sam, you are out doing yourself. Wait- where do you keep your forks?” She rolled her eyes as she heard Josh rummaging in the cupboards, but let him figure it out for himself.

“So-“ she waited for Josh to get comfortable, watching as he planted himself down on the floor, the cake on the coffee table between them. “What’s first on the docket, President Washington?”

“Well, I think eating some cake is first on my agenda, First Lady Washington,” he replied in all seriousness, and to Sam’s credit, she didn’t turn entirely red.

“Well, I meant after that. Do you want gossip or what?” she said, snagging the second fork and swiping a bit of icing from the top.

“Hey, I get first go at the cake. That’s the rules,” he said, before laughing. “Uh, sure? What sort of sordid gossip do you have for me? Did Ash and Chris finally get together?”

She groaned. “No. I wish. I get to hear from Ash how great Chris is and how there’s no way he’d like her, and then Chris sends me messages asking _“why is Ashley so absolutely perfect and do you think she’d date me?”_ It almost makes me wanna…I don’t know.”

“Make you wanna lock them in a closet until they work out all their issues and take off all their clothing?” Josh suggested behind a huge bite of cake, and Sam snickered.

“Yeah, pretty much. Uh, anyways…Em and Mike broke up, and now he’s dating Jess. Em’s dating Matt, for some reason.” Sam scrunched up her nose. She still had no idea how that’d happened, how he could have gone from almost dating Hannah to dating…well…the furthest person from Hannah in personality.

“Huh. Mind blown. What happened with Mike and Em? They were sure they were going to be the power couple of the century. I’m pretty sure Em had their wedding invites all planned out our last year of high school.”

Sam shrugged. “I guess Mike was more broken up about Beth and Hannah than Em thought he should be. There was a screaming fit, apparently, and it ended up with both of them storming off. Then like…4 days later they were both dating other people.”

Josh picked at the cake. “So Mike might actually regret being a colossal douche canoe?” he mused, and Sam shrugged again. 

“Maybe. I mean, this is the same guy that made me promise not to tell anyone that he was baby-talking a deer last year, and who is totally the reason why you find so many peanut shells and semi-tamed squirrels on your mountain.” He’d really seemed panicked when Sam’d caught him talking to the deer, and he’d paid off her cell bill for the next three months in a bid to keep her from saying anything about it. 

“So basically, big bad Mike is a giant baby?” Josh asked, and Sam nodded.

“Yeeeeep. I’m pretty sure one of his goals in life is to be rich enough to adopt all the animals at the pound located in whatever city he plants his ass in.” 

“Better hope Jess isn’t allergic to anything then.”

The conversation rolled into a lull, before Sam finally asked Josh what she’d been dying to ask.

“So- what’s the plan, boss man? Invite everyone up, then take them out back and threaten to shoot them?”

He snorted. “Please, I am an artist! I wanna make them crap their fricken pants first, before they realize what’s going on. I wanna go full out horror movie on their asses!”

“So like…spooky clowns and all that?” Which she hoped he’d say no to. That was just too cheesy.

“Uh…not sure yet. I was kinda hoping you’d be able to help me with that. Write me up a script worthy of our Oscar, Madam Washington.” Finished with the cake, he flopped back onto her floor, and Sam hopped he hadn’t seen how she cradled her entirely red face in her hands.

“Don’t I have to marry you to become ‘Madam Washington’?” she asked, hoping her voice wasn’t squeaking that much. “I mean, you haven’t even taken me out for dinner yet, so I think we’re rushing things.”

“M’lady wants to be wine and dined before marriage? I think I can handle that. A few romantic dates, a lot of champagne…sounds like a plan!” Sam rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue.

“Ha ha. Anyways, if I’m writing you this script, do you have any ideas at all? Plans for anyone in particular?” She wasn’t going to go into planning totally blind. That would only result in something sloppy.

“Well…” Josh trailed off for a moment, thinking. “if Chris and Ash don’t end up having some hot, steamy angst sex after we traumatize them into each other’s arms by the end of the weekend, then we’re doing life wrong. I think I’ll tell Mike to take Jess up to the guest cabin, but I’ll “forget” to tell them about the rockslide that happened. Hopefully they’ll turn back instead of doing something stupid like climb over it or go into the mine, and we can get them on the way back down to the cabin.”

Sam nodded, then grabbed a note pad, scratching down some notes. “I can always scale the rocks too, add some surprises in case they’re idiotic enough to continue. We can mess with the guest cabin too- make it really unpleasant for them.”

Josh sat up, pointing one finger at her. “See, that’s why you’re my main gal, Sammy. Great idea. I mean, I know how to use all of dad’s shit, and that’s all stored in the basement, so we can really spook the place up. And all those fucking creeptastic paintings my mom has up will really add to the atmosphere. So what do we have so far?”

Sam looked down at her notes. “Make Ash and Chris hook up, cock block Jess and Mike. What about Matt and Em?”

Josh flopped back onto the floor. “Well, I wanna make everyone deal with things in sets of two. I figure you and me- we can be the first to go missing or die or whatever, so then there’s not an extra body hangin’ round. But, kay…Mike and Jess to the cabin, and you know that Em and Matt are gonna be exploring each other’s parts the minute we leave them alone…so how about we chase them to my parent’s room while we spook Chris and Ash? I figure with all the fake guns dad’s got around, I can figure something out.”

“You are not pretending to shoot everyone up, Josh. What about…idk…okay, something like Saw? Like… _“which friend do you really like, who would you save?”_ and make Ash or Chris choose from you or me?” Sam made a note to rent the Saw movies. That might actually give her some ideas.

“No. No no no- not you or me…okay, this is what we’ll do- we make Chris choose between his best buddy, me, or the love of his life, Ash. But we make it so whatever he picks, I’m the one to “die”, right? Then I’ll be out of the picture, and I can run around fucking everyone’s day up without having to make up excuses.” He climbed up off the floor to sit on the couch beside Sam, watching as she wrote.

“Okay…so we traumatize Ash and Chris. Mike and Jess? Maybe something like…Hannah’s ghost, or something? Following them on the way to the cabin?”

“Yeah…yeah! Fuck, Sam, we’re going to be superstars! Our one-way ticket to internet fame, baby!”

He started to laugh, and it didn’t take long for her to join in. Even if she was going to look back at this in ten years, in ten months, and see how fucked the whole situation was, now?

Now she wouldn’t change it for the damn world. Her and Josh were gonna get revenge for Hannah and Beth, and everyone was gonna learn that if your scorn a Washington, there’s gonna be hell to pay.


	3. Act 3: Preperation

“Okay, Josh? I don't care what anyone says, this mountain isn't any less freezing in January.”

Sam shifted from side to side, trying to distract herself from the chill while Josh paid for a large shipment of saw blades. They were in the mountain now, getting off the bus only half an hour before the delivery van showed up. And the wind was a killer. 

“-yeah, thanks. I hope the mini-movie will go over well too. Thank you again, we can take it from here.” 

The delivery man was being irritatingly helpful, and Sam tried not to snort as Josh explained again that no, they don’t need a hand getting everything up to the lodge.

“Bye!” She called, waving to the delivery man as he finally drove away, before turning to Josh. “Okay- lets get this to the cable car before I freeze.”

The shipment was huge- 6 large saw blades was just the start- and luckily for their backs, there was a trolley in the shed. 

“Spend some quality time with Josh, I thought,” she grunted as the pair of them began to push the trolley along the path, and he barked with laughter. “It'll be fun, I thought! Maybe we’d hang out in the hot tub, I thought-“

“Well we can still do that, Sammy. It might take a lil’ bit to set it up, but we can lounge around after we finish the cabin.”

Sam didn't have to look at him to know he was leering at her. 

“Sure thing, Joshy. You can do that while I do all the hard work.”

The teasing continued as they heaved the trolley of blades into the cable-car, stopping to catch their breaths once it was nestled inside with the luggage. 

“So, which of us is taking this up?” Sam asked, stretching. Even if it was January, she was sweating from all the work, and she contemplated taking off her coat. 

Josh shrugged. “Well I know you're a mountaineer, but I like to think that I'm stronger.”

Biting back a comment about wrestling that was honestly better left unsaid until they got to the lodge, Sam nodded. 

“Sure. I guess I'll get the “clues” set up down here then,” she said, walking into the control room. “The bag’s in here, right?”

“Yep-“ Sam snickered as she heard Josh struggling to fit in the cable-car with the trolley. “Don't write anything that people will know was you, kay?”

She rolled her eyes. “So no writing _‘Sam waz here’_ or our names inside of a heart then? Gotcha.”

Leaving Josh to fight with the saw blades, Sam send the car on its way, and headed to the first place on her list. Standing in front of the mountain map, she cocked her head to the side, sizing it up as she rattled the spray can. She needed to put something that’d make everyone think...

 _‘Apologies cannot change the past’_ , she finally scrawled, before nodding to herself. That sounded good.

Second on her list was the wanted posters Josh had gotten made. She did feel kinda bad for using a picture of an actual person for the “crazed killer” she’d written into Josh's script, but… Oh well. He probably wasn't even alive anymore to complain about it.

She stapled one to the side of the control station, ripping it a little, then crumpled one up and shoved it under the bench. There wasn't any need to make them look too new, and this way everyone would assume it was just the mystery man tearing off his wanted posters.

“Perfect…” Looking around, she walked to the back, and sighed. Should she do something with the shooting range?

‘I'll ask Josh about putting some colour in the bags…’ she thought, before pulling one of the weapons down, resting it out in plain sight. Between Matt, Chris, and Mike, one of the boys was bound to wander around and test out the guns while waiting for the cable car.

And as she stood there, she didn’t see the man watching from the forest, a frown under his scarf.

\--

“JOSH!” Honey, I’m home!” Sam yelled as she walked into the lodge, shivering. She’d hoped the building would have been warmer than outside, not colder! “I hope you can manage to get this place heated, and fast, because I’m not climbing over anything until I’m warm first.”

She paused.

“That includes you too, buster. No Sammy until Sammy is warm.”

At first she got no response besides the chattering of her teeth, before a loud and drawn out groan was heard from the basement.

“-hhhhhh maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan,” Josh whined, yelling up the stairs to her. “But I don’t wannnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaa.”

Sam shook her head. 

“Do you wanna be climbing over that slide then, bucko? Now come on- come get me warm.”

She smiled after a moment, hearing the furnace kick in, then footsteps coming up the stairs. She turned to face Josh with a smile, but froze and screamed instead.

“JESUS FUCKING CHRIST ON A GODDAMN CRACKER!” she shouted, stumbling back and nearly slipping in the wet boot prints behind her. She’d not expected Josh to meander upstairs in the creepiest mask she’d seen in…well…ever. “I fucking hate you, Washington!”

With a snort, Josh peeled the mask off, before pouting at her. “What? Why? I mean I came all the way up here to warm you up, and you scream in my beautiful face? I’m insulted Sammy.”

All Sam could do was shake her head, crouching down as she tried to get her breath back.

“Is this what it’s going to be like for the others? Because I almost had a heart attack.”

He beamed.

“So, it’s good then? A good mask, I mean?”

Sam nodded. “More terrifying than goddamn Michael Myers and that mask gave me nightmares.” She paused. “If you use that fact against me I swear to god-“

Josh clapped a hand on her shoulder, and whirled her around. “Of course not Sammy Whammy. Now, lets get you all toasty warm before you go back out into that frigid cold, hm?” He pulled her over to the couch, and she flopped down beside him, sprawling out on the sofa. “Though, I did think you Albertan girls were tougher than this.”

“Shut up, Josh.” Sam muttered, turning her head into his shoulder. “Maybe I wanted to hang out a bit before I go running in the backwoods.”

Josh seemed to freeze, and it took Sam a minute to remember that, for all their flirting, neither of them had really initiated any physical contact like that before. Hugs yeah, but those weren’t the same as this.

“…you’re nice ‘n warm,” she finally muttered, settling in beside him comfortably.

Josh cautiously put a hand around her shoulder, like he was worried she’d react poorly, then relaxed. “Well, I did say that I was going to warm you up, Sammy.”

She snickered. “You did, you did…So, let’s go over the plan before I fall asleep. And it’s a good thing no one’s around. We don’t need people thinking we’ve slept together, now do we?”

She was happy that she was still pressed up against him- he’d made fun of her if he saw how red her face was.

Luckily for Sam, Josh stammered for a bit, distracted by the image until she poked him in the side.

“The plan, oh great director? Or do you want me to just make stuff up as I go along?”

“Ah…right. Well-“ he shifted a bit, and Sam would admit that she was a little disappointed to pull back from him. “-I figure either Em and Matt or Mike and Jess will be going to the cabin. Probably a bunch of boning zoning planned for-“

He stopped as Sam held up a hand. 

“Boning zoning? Are you for real right now? Sounds like you’re expecting them to put up fencing, not have sex. But yes, Matt and Em or Mike and Jess gonna go up to bone zone, as you put it.” She motioned for Josh to continue, and he did after a moment.

“So I figure whichever pair doesn’t go out to the cabin’s going to wanna use the master bedroom, so I’m going to have some surprises put up in there for them. Let’s re-enact Carrie, huh?” He grinned, and Sam grinned back. 

“A real blood bath, then?”

Josh nodded. “I’ve got pigs ‘n all. Then I’ll get Chris and Ash to do the séance with me. And you know them- neither are going to take a step to confess unless something drastic happens.”

Sam snorted. Oh, she knew. “What about me, then?”

“You,” he said with a beaming grin, “are going to take one of those infamous 900 hour baths of yours. Except not really. Ow!”

Sam smacked him in the shoulder, but motioned for him to continue.

“Anyways, you’re going to go get some of the stuff ready, little traps and tricks while everyone’s running around. I figure we can film your…uh… “death” early on, so we have footage to work with. How do you feel about running around the house in a towel?”

She gave him a deadpan look. Even though she’d written her own death, she still couldn’t believe he still wanted her in a towel.

“I forgot this is one of those movies. So, am I dropping that towel anytime in this?”

“Nope! That’s for later.” He winked, and she rolled her eyes. “My plan is that you’re running from me, and u get changed right before I capture you. Then we’ll take another saw…and bam! We’ll both be two pairs of legs.”

Sam made a face. “So I’ll just be legs? Yay.”

Josh shrugged. “An extremely attractive pair of legs, if that makes things any better for you.”

“I'll make all those monster boys swoon, and you'll regret that.” She jabbed him again, and he bumped his shoulder against hers in reply. “So- the trail up and the cabin. Do you have any ideas in particular?” She had some ideas of her own, but it was Josh's show after all. She didn't need to be stealing it. 

He shrugged. “I dunno. I thought maybe a few thinks to make them jumpy on the trail. Going to cut the power at the cabin though, so if they do get up there…”

“They clue in that they should come back to the lodge? What about police tape?” Josh gave her an odd look. 

“…what about it?”

“We put it on the trail, of course. Then if anyone feels particularly guilty, they’ll be extra jumpy. Plus…I dunno. It’ll keep people on track, so they don’t run off into the woods for help.”

With a sudden shudder- thinking about that night, and the police investigation that happened afterwards always made her queezy- Sam pulled herself off the couch. 

“Okay, let’s get going and get this show on the road. It’ll take me, what, twenty to thirty minutes to get up to the cabin. So I’ll have time before the sun sets to get everything done and get back here, right?.”

Josh looked at her, the look on his face almost making Sam uneasy. Was he still on his meds? She’d forgotten to check... “Uh, yeah. It might take a lil’ longer if you’re climbing over the landslide, but…As long as you have the walkie, it should go smoothly.” He paused. “Just get back before dark. There’s…beasts in the woods.”

Sam snorted. “And me without my red cape. I’m an Alberta girl- you said it yourself. I think I know how to handle a bear.”

He shrugged again. “I dunno- not really the beasts I'm talkin’ bout. But in sure you'll kick ass and take names out there. Wanna head down, take a look at what there is to use in dad’s goodie chest?”

“Let’s load me up.”

The basement of the lodge was a practical treasure trove of movie props and gadgets. And in it they found not only police tape, managing to make them both feel uncomfortable, but all the electronics and other goodies they needed to spook anyone headed up to the “love shack”.

“Okay I have to take the bear attack poster. And whatever that thing is.” Sam pointed to a creepy statue made of sticks, and Josh passed it over, along with all the electronics. 

“Okay, so when you get to the cabin up there I'll walk you through the electronics, okay?” Sam nodded, taking a packet from Josh. 

“So…I think I'm ready. Don’t wait up for me, boyo.”

-

for Sam the walk to the cabin wasn't a real challenge. If she had to, she'd rate it at a low 2- cold but simple. The land slid was big enough that she doubted Matt or Mike would drag their lady-loves up it, but for Sam it was no big deal. 

“Josh. I found a place for that creepy doll thing. There's this truck stuck here and I'm pretty sure I can trick it out.” 

The reply came through, staticy but still understandable. ‘Coming up on Blackwood Mountains Pimp My Ride-‘ Josh snickered, the bursts of static sending birds into the sky. ‘But yeah that sounds good. I think that wrecks been there for a few years too, said go ahead and do your worst.’

Sam grinned. She had some ideas, and she almost did want someone to climb the slide. “Too bad there aren't any cameras up here…”

Josh snickered again. ‘Who says there isn't? We have surveillance all through the area. Smile for the camera, babe.’

“Oh fuck off-“ 

Flipping the forest in general the bird, Sam opened her bag. Most of the police tape has been wound around landmarks and trees, but she still had enough to tape off the trail leading away from the cabin. The next thing was a fearsome paper cutout that she rigged to slap against the passenger side window if the door handle was pulled. Next, the creepy statue was placed on the dash, looking out into the forest. And lastly, Sam pulled it a hatchet, slamming it into the hood of the truck. 

“okay, I'm done here. I'm going to-“ Sam trailed off, letting go of the speak button. Did she hear footsteps, or was she hearing things? 

Suddenly, Josh’s comment about beasts in the woods didn’t sit well with her.

‘Sam? Sammy? What's up, don't leave me hanging.’ Even he sounded worried, and Sam wanted to grab the hatchet from the truck and keep it with her.

“Uh, nothing. I thought I heard something. Probably just a moose or something though, right?”

‘Yeah, probably. Be careful out there, yeah? I don't want to lose my third important lady.’

“Don't worry, I'll be careful. If I need to, I'll just stay in the cabin overnight. I still have what, two hours until sundown? I'll be okay, Josh. Back before you know it.” 

If the noises he made through the radio were supposed to be reassuring, Sam couldn't tell, the static too rough. 

Now thoroughly creeped out, she rushed the rest of the way to the cabin, skipping a few of her planned spooks and scares. If anything, the tension at this point should make them run. 

Stopping at the door, Sam pulled the key out, letting herself in. It was a nice little cabin, one she’d stayed in on sleepovers with Hannah and Beth, but now…

Sam moved quickly, Josh explaining exactly how to kill the lights, how to set up a dripping tub on command, and how to hook up the hidden speakers. 

“How do I sound, Sam?”

She grinned into the small camera. 

“I'm reading you loud and clear, bossman. So, just the camera left, then I can head back?”

“Yeah. Just put it over the fireplace. There should be space beside the stuffed deer head.”

“That poor, poor deer.”

With that, cameras and electronics in place, Sam hurried back. The sun was setting and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed…and really, she just wanted to be with Josh.

That was the real reason for coming up so early, after all.


	4. Act 4: Detours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for this chapter, Josh is acting a little like me when I've been off my meds for a week(+) RE: ordering them and getting them from town. I'm sorry if anything is off though about my portrayal, and I'd love to hear feedback.  
> (Also kids don't just stop taking your meds because it really sucks. Really really really sucks)

That night, Sam found herself realizing two things. 

 

Number one was that Josh hadn't been joking when he'd said he had pigs blood- she’d hoped it was just prop blood or something, until she rounded the corner to find a decapitated pigs body sitting in the snow. And was she ever angry, calling Josh on the radio and cussing him out as she stormed back to the lodge. And then he dared to tell her it was ‘just a pig’.

“JUST A PIG? Josh! It was still a living creature! I mean I know you said blood but I assumed like some fake stuff your dad had or, worst case, something from a butcher but that's just-“

Her things slammed into the kitchen island, backpack and walkie and hands as she tried to take a deep breath. She wasn't a fan of pigs, but that didn't mean that the poor thing deserved to sit without a head in the snow. 

“Jeeze Sam, look, I'm sorry, okay? I forgot you liked animals so much. Sorry, babe… How about this? Once I'm back in Calgary, I'll make a donation to a few city shelters. Kay?”  
He held out his arms in apology, and Sam sighed as she let him hug her. 

“I'm still pissed,” she muttered into his shoulder, and he gave her a squeeze. 

“Sorry, Sam.”

 

-

 

Number two was that he was off his medication. This was discovered when Sam went hunting for something to eat, Josh only having stocked the lodge so far with junk food and hot dogs, which she wasn't touching with a 10 foot pole. 

“Hey! I'm gonna go into town and her myself some rabbit food! Want me to take in your prescription and get it filled?” An almost empty pill bottle sat in one cupboard, a prescription paper beside it. 

“Nope!” Came the cheery reply from the living room, and Sam raised an eyebrow. Maybe they weren't staying in the lodge for the month then?

“You've got more in your room then?” She asked, shutting the cupboard door with a sigh. Chips and butter on bread it was, she supposed. 

“Ah, nope!” He grinned at her from the couch, and she crossed her arms at him. 

“Okay, what's up. Are you done with the pills, or are you just not taking them?”

“Not taking them. Haven’t been for a while. They weren’t helping me, Sam.” The look on his face is serious now, but Sam didn’t relent. 

She’s looked up his medications, all of the ones he ever took. She knows he can’t just…stop taking them.

“Josh, I’m going to go into town and get some things. Your medication included.” She held up a hand as he opened his mouth to argue. “Do not try me tonight, Washington. I’m still mad about that poor pig, and I know you can’t just cold turkey this shit. Now, where the hell is the cutlery?”

 

That night was a tense one, the confrontation over the pig and the medication lead to the pair of them turning in early. Josh in his room, and Sam set up in the master bedroom. 

The idea of sleeping in Beth or Hannah’s rooms made her feel ill, angry.

So instead she tossed and turned on the king sized bed, thoughts running through her mind. The prank, Josh, the video they’d be taking, the video they’d be filming in a few days… it was a lot to take in now that they were putting things into action. 

It was probably three or four in the morning when Sam finally managed to get some shut eye, but it wasn’t for long. The sounds of someone, Josh, she hoped, walking around the house woke her, and Sam yawned as she climbed out of bed. What was he doing?

“Hey, Josh, Are you oka-“ poking her head out of the door, she cut herself off as Josh walked passed her, not really registering that she was there.

He was singing _‘Frere Jacque’_ to himself, pausing only to tell Hannah that her and Beth weren’t real.

He was most definitely not alright.

“…Josh…jesus…” Sam watched until he stopped by the stairs, before walking out to meet him as he started to walk back towards her. “Josh!”

Nothing, no reaction, not even a look up at her.

So Sam stood in front of him, in his way, opened her arms, and pulled him into a hug. For a minute he continued to try and walk through her, before stopping.

“-not real…n-not…” He continued to mumble to himself as Sam held him, resting her head on his shoulder with a sigh. 

“Josh…come on, wake up…”

They stood there like that for a little while- Sam couldn't tell if it was a minute or 5- until Josh realized what was happening. 

“Sam…?”

She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, and gave Josh a squeeze, but didn't let go. 

“Hey Josh. Are you okay now?”

“I…I don't know, Sam. I don't know.”

 

-

 

While Josh had not accounted for food, there was still a variety of drink mixes in the cupboards. Josh was sitting on one of the couches, wrapped in a blanket Sam’d snatched on their way down from the second story. Sam was making hot chocolate, trying to figure out what to do next. 

He was hallucinating, maybe sleep walking too. His moods were all over the place, and she had no idea how long he's been off his medication. 

The kettle clicking off broke her from her thoughts, and she poured the water into two mugs, spinning a spoon through each before walking to the living room. 

“Hey.”

Josh looked up at her, and she looked, really looked at his face. Not sleepwalking, just not sleeping at all. 

“Thanks, Sammy.” He tried to smile, but it came out more of a grimace that he hid behind the mug. “It's good…”

Sam snorted before she could stop herself. “It takes a special skill to mess up prepackaged hot chocolate, and I hopefully don't posses it,” she said, wrapping her hands around her mug as she sat. “Josh…what was that?”

A moment passed, and Josh sunk further into his blanket. “It just… Happens. Hannah and Beth and it's my fault they're dead!”

As Josh started to cry, Sam scooted over closer to him, her arms open again. It wasn't his fault! How was he to know what was going to happen? 

“It's not, Josh. It's not your fault. You didn't know what'd happened, and you didn't plan the “prank”. You did what you could to find them. Don't…don't blame yourself.”  
He leaned into her, and she sighed. 

“I'm still going into town today. All this…it's hurting you too much. You need to keep taking your medication.”

He shook his head, and mumbled into her shoulder. “Don't wanna. I don't feel real when I'm taking them. I'm not human, not _me_ when I'm on them.”

“Have you talked to that shrink about that?” Sam asked, but Josh shook his head. 

“They’ll stick me back in the hospital if I do. I hate that place…”

Sam sighed. It was no good when he was taking it, and even worse when he was off of it…but what if he split the dosage?

“I have an idea, okay? But it's for later, after we get some sleep, yeah?” Josh shrugged in response, and Sam gave his shoulders a squeeze. “Come on.” 

The bed in the master bedroom was big enough for them both, and it's not like they were going to do anything. 

 

-

 

The next day started late, and with Josh phoning in his prescription. 

“There, happy?”

He'd woken grumpy, but Sam didn't blame him. She was pretty out of it too from the night before. 

“Yeah. So, uh, do you wanna come with? Or do you have more prep you need to get done?” She asked, pulling on her boots. There was fresh powder outside, and for a moment she wished she had skis. The trip down the mountain would be fun, but back up, less so.

“Yeah, sure. I’m pretty much done for right now in here…” 

The trip down the mountain and into town was tense, Josh distant and snappish whenever Sam tried to talk to him. She chalked it up to being off his meds, and let it slide.

“Okay, so which way first?” she asked as they climbed off the bus, checking the straps on her backpack out of habit. 

“Pharmacy. I may as while take that shit now…” he muttered, waving for her to follow him down the street.

“Okay…Josh, look. I know you don’t like taking that stuff, but… maybe some is better than none?” Try a half-dosage, okay. Just to…I don’t know. Normalize things for you. Stop the hallucinations.”

“…maybe. I can try that, I guess. I’m not talking to that doctor anymore though, he’s an ass.”

Sam snorted, and Josh smiled a bit. She'd count that as a victory today if he was smiling.

“Yeah, no. Fuck that doctor.”

**Author's Note:**

> I finished another replay of Until Dawn and have been hit with the urge to rewrite this fic and, hopefully, post a few new chapters as well.
> 
> * * *
> 
> * Memez4Dayz is Josh because...well... Bone Zone. He's a memer  
> * VeganVorrior is Sam because fuck it I thought of the name as a joke and it stuck in my head. And who says that Sam isn't a meme as well? (My sister suggested 'Avacado Samwich', and in the first version it was 'Space Clammed (Sam)' because I don't know why)


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